Some administrative data collections do not have adequate data quality (at least for some variables) for reporting on the total population. These data collections are therefore not useful for reporting on the Indigenous population.

Among collections that do have adequate data quality for reporting on the total population, there are large variations with respect to gathering information about Indigenous status. Some collections do not yet include a question on Indigenous status. Others include Indigenous status as a data item, but not everyone is asked to provide the information. The data collectors may decide the answer based on a person’s appearance, for example. Even if a question is asked, not all collections use the same question wording.

Even within collections used for the same purpose, such as death registrations, the wording of the question may differ from one jurisdiction to the next. Although States and Territories have agreed to the use of a standard question in many health-related collections, the implementation takes time, as it is usually necessary to wait for the next redesign and reprinting of the relevant form, or changes to a computerized information system..